This invention relates to an electronic fish scale for weighing, coding and storing coded fish weights followed by sequentially displaying stored data in inverse order to facilitate culling of the lightest fish in a catch.
The sport of competitive fishing has experienced significant growth in recent years. Competitive tournaments with substantial prizes at stake are being held throughout the country. The number of participants grows each year and the public interest has grown accordingly. Due to increased interest by commercial sponsors, the size of prizes available to the winners of the competitions has grown similarly. The basis of competitive fishing is to recognize the fisherman obtaining the highest gross total weight of a catch consisting of a predetermined number of fish made within a stated period. The gross total weight is computed from the preset number of fish established by the rules of that particular competition, typically seven or five fish define the catch. Thus, the competitive fisherman is continually concerned with culling fish from the catch in his live well and retaining only the heaviest fish caught. As a competition begins, the competitor is continually adding to his catch. Ultimately, the preset number of fish is reached. Continued success in catching more than the preset number in the stated period requires the fisherman to make decisions concerning the retention of fish in his catch.
Since the success of a competitor is due in part to his ability to continue fishing during the entire allotted period, time devoted to decision making followed by culling of the lightest fish reduces the amount of time in which the fisherman has his lure in the water. Typically, the competitive fisherman utilizes a scale to weigh each fish at the time of catch and records the weight coupled with assigning a corresponding color code to each fish. Then, he attaches the appropriate colored tag and places the tagged fish in a live well. When the preset number is reached, the competitive fisherman must determine whether any newly caught fish should be substituted for a previously caught fish or returned to the water. If this fish is to be substituted for one previously caught, the fisherman must scan his record and determine which fish he has to withdraw from the live well to make an advantageous substitution. In addition, the fisherman normally maintains a running weight total on his tablet so that he has an idea where he stands comparatively during the period of competition. All of the manual data entering, numerical computations and culling decisions take place when the fisherman is not actively engaged in fishing. As a result, competitive fishing time is lost. The time loss is significant since the marking and computation take place in a wet environment which require the use of special markers and writing surfaces. It is not uncommon for a fisherman to have to spend valuable time looking for a grease pen to make weight notations on his tablet.
Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic fish scale which weighs, codes and stores the weights of individual fish without requiring the fisherman to make manual entries. In addition, the present invention enables the competitive fisherman to quickly determine when the fish being weighed is heavier than the smallest fish in his catch and display the proper coding for the cull. This invention enables the fisherman to quickly determine if he should cull his catch to retain only the heaviest fish and the fish to be withdrawn from the live well with accuracy and precision. The time period required for data entry and decision-making by the fisherman is substantially reduced.
The subject invention is configured to be hand-held with the fisherman's free hand available to scroll through the stored data. The device includes a digital display to quickly provide the fisherman with the information necessary to affect his cull. Also, the invention enables the fisherman to display the total weight of his catch to that moment at any time in the competition. As the invention is to be used in the outdoors under rugged conditions, the present invention utilizes a load cell to conduct the weighing operation thereby providing a durable and accurate fish scale. This device exhibits sensitivity of measurement and provides reliable operation in the outdoor environment.